School watchmen beaten, weapons stolen

Police say institute not properly protected

SHABQADAR: Unidentified persons snatched weapons from two watchmen of a private school in Shabqadar after beating them.

A Shabqadar police official told The Express Tribune one of the watchmen reported seven men entered the school late Monday night and started beating them up. “The watchman told us the men had their faces covered and later tied the watchmen up; they also took away two Kalashnikovs.” It was also reported the men took away mobile phones and cash. “The school is owned by a retired official in Shabqadar.”



When asked, Shabqadar sub divisional police official Muhammad Fayaz Khan said the school did not have proper security arrangements. “The two watchmen who were attacked were 70 years old,” he said, adding action will be taken against the school administration.

Well-protected?

He told The Express Tribune all institutes that do not have proper security have been issued notices and if they do not complete the required process, action would be taken against them.

Fayaz said the same school, run by an ex-serviceman, was attacked in October 2014 and a teacher was killed in the incident. “The school administration ignored the notice for security and we registered an FIR against them and many other schools; those cases are now in courts.”

The official police have also asked NADRA and other government institutes to tighten their security.

Unsafe premises

Such incidents trigger parents’ concern who demand the police take action. Some parents said school administrations have doubled fees in the name of security after the Army Public School attack, but they failed to provide security to our children.

Shabqadar has more than 100 private schools, but none of them have proper security arrangements. Most of them have no CCTV cameras or watchmen.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 31^st, 2015.